


Temperature

by raenie



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-18
Updated: 2015-03-10
Packaged: 2018-03-13 14:25:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3385073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raenie/pseuds/raenie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi didn't expect a peaceful life, and he didn't expect it to turn around when some stranger asks to crash at his place.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Levi knew people had expected him to be cut out for a preppy, aggressive career, probably somewhere in the business world. He’d thought so too, thought he’d be taking care of shit while shitting on others all at the same time, but he’d never get his hands dirty. Never, he had promised himself.

It was 5:06 Saturday morning in the coffee shop as usual and his hands were usually beyond clean. 

He sifted coffee grounds between his fingers and inhaled the light chocolate scent. Mocha. That was good. Fresh. A bird chirped outside before quieting again to the sound of Levi’s hands in coffee. He got up to pour some of this and sprinkle some of that before settling down in a chair at the counter with a cup of tea. He sighed into his drink and looked contentedly out the window.

It was peaceful. He liked that.

He lifted his cup to his mouth before he suddenly heard a rapping on his door, and he put down his drink, agitated. He stalked over and opened up just a little to see who was stupid enough to knock on his door at dawn with a CLOSED sign hanging out on the front.

“We’re not open,” he said, but the stranger in front of him put his hand on the door before Levi could close it. Confused and trying to suppress his growing annoyance, Levi decided to address the interloper properly by actually looking at him.

The stranger was taller than him (well, nearly everyone was) and wore a crooked smile as he brushed his other hand through his tousled dark hair.

Stranger had interesting eyes.

“Hi,” said the stranger. “Could you and I maybe talk for minute?” Levi narrowed his eyes. “I, uh, it’s kind of about your shop. Kind of. Like, my mother is the landlord.”

Levi just stared at him. Stranger opened his mouth and almost started babbling again, but closed it, and opted to look embarrassed instead.

Levi looked him dead in the eye. “What would make me buy that nonsense.” Stranger shifted a backpack off of his shoulders, rummaged through it, and presented an ID card. 

“Eren Jaeger, my mother is Carla Jaeger, the landlord.” Levi took the card and inspected it. Eren Jaeger. Legal adult. He glanced at stranger again. They looked the same. Levi handed back the card, stepped out of the building, and closed the shop. Eren, slightly puzzled, stood there with his card in his hands for a second.

“Aren’t you...aren’t we going to talk inside?” Levi crossed his arms.

“We can talk out here,” he said, and leaned against the doorframe.

“Um, okay,” Eren replied. He shoved his hands in his pockets.

“Well, I’m trying to stretch away from home, so could you let me stay?” That was incredulous reasoning, and Levi’s face must have said so, because Eren quickly added a few more explanations. “I know that this is really impractical and irresponsible and sounds horribly irrational, but I really need a place to stay, and…” he trailed off, slightly awkward.

Levi held his gaze. “Don’t you have any money, rich kid?”

Eren’s cheeks reddened. “Not really.” He looked down, obviously reflecting on his poor choices. Levi was silent for a minute and unlocked his door. Eren lifted his head. 

“I’ll let you stay,” Levi began, “under some conditions.” Eren just about lit up the shop by the way his eyes brightened and his face glowed in happy relief. It kind of struck Levi, but he didn’t mention it or anything.

“Yes-thank you! Thank you so much.” He reached out to take Levi’s hand, maybe to shake it, but Levi whisked away his own before they could even brush fingers.

“Rule number one,” Levi snapped, pointing down to the the faucet. “You will always wash your hands when you are coming in from outside.”

Eren halted, glanced at his dirtless palms to Levi’s coffee-sooted fingers, made a quizzical expression, but walked in Levi’s pointed direction to the counter sink nonetheless. Once he heard the scrubbing of soap and running water, Levi picked up his lonely cup of tea and took a sip. Cold. He looked at Eren. Eren met his eyes and smiled in that soft glowy way, and it took Levi a few seconds before he got himself to turn away.

“Come on, stranger, we have some stuff to do.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren gets worried he's going to get kicked out

Levi led Eren around the ground floor, which was the cafe half of the building. He pointed out some things like where the restrooms were and storage area and Eren would nod and continuously look back at Levi as if expecting him to suddenly change his mind and throw him back out.

Levi noticed and took him upstairs.

“Take your shoes off on the steps,” Levi said as they approached the top end of the staircase. As Eren shuffled off his shoes, he viewed the top floor, which was pretty much one large room and a washroom. Large windows on the walls poured gradually rising sunlight onto the hardwood floors and furniture.

“Is this where you live?” Eren asked.

“Did you think that I slept on the toilet?”

“It’s just… very empty.” Levi shrugged. He didn’t have a lot of extra cash, and he didn’t care so much about having things like a television or nightstand. 

“I just get what I need,” he replied. He looked back at Eren. “You can take off your backpack, you know.” Eren followed through like it was a command.

Levi didn’t like that. His reply was to walk over to his closet, pull out some blankets, and throw them onto the sofa. Eren watched him and Levi got the feeling that he was finally getting it through his thick head that Levi wasn’t going to chuck him back outside. Well, at least for now.

“I’ll be sleeping on the couch?” Eren asked in earnest.

Levi hummed as he tossed a pillow at him. “You’ll be staying here, so don’t whine about where.”

“I-I wasn’t!” he exclaimed defensively. “I’m just thankful.” Levi smiled inwardly at Eren’s antics. He left the blankets and cushions to go back downstairs, motioning for Eren to follow.

“You’ll be cleaning up after your own shit, that’s obvious,” Levi said, informing Eren of the next couple rules as they made their way back to the kitchen. “You’ll also be cleaning up after my shit, which means that you’ll also be cleaning washrooms, dishes, and other things that I’ll be taking care of as well.” He could feel Eren’s grimace from behind his back. “You will be doing lots of grunt work in the shop.” Levi pulled back the curtains and morning light cleared the room. “You won’t ask about anything personal, and I won’t ask you.” Levi crossed over to the back of the counter and turned back to Eren, who was on the other side. “Anything you’d like to say?” he inquired.

Eren had a funny and indecipherable expression written across his face, but he didn’t question Levi’s rules, which was a good start in his opinion. “Just don’t tell my mother, ok?” What exactly did he look like, a first grade teacher?

“Yes, ok,” he responded. He glanced at the clock. 7 already, it was about time to go. He picked up his keys. “Come on, Eren,” he said, heading for the front entrance. Eren went after him, waiting outside as Levi locked the door.

“Don’t you need to watch the cafe?” Eren asked.

“It’s closed on weekends,” he answered.

“Where are we going?” Levi tucked away the key and started for the street.

“Breakfast.”

\--

The walk took about five to ten minutes of uncomfortable silence with the occasionally awkward observation about the weather until they reached a cookhouse, in which Levi walked straight through the open doors and into a restaurant filled with breakfasting people. Levi saw Eren’s eyes drift among the mass of customers and eyeball at fresh, hot food being served and devoured. He seemed to be almost nauseated with hunger, by the way his mouth hung open unconsciously. Levi, amused, had to tear away from looking at Eren to stop a waiter.

“Moblit, Where’s Hanji?”

‘Moblit’ reacted with an “Oh!”, appearing slightly perturbed. “Good morning, ah, Hanji’s out back experimenting with a new recipe again.” Levi thanked him and was about to move forward before he noticed that was looking at Eren in confusion.

“This is Eren,” Levi said, jabbing a thumb at him. “Eren, Moblit.” They both smiled awkwardly at each other and exchanged greetings along with some formal handshakes before Levi moved ahead with Eren following close behind. “This is a pretty small city, so a lot of residents here might find it a little off as to why you’re here.”

“Aren’t there ever any visitors from other places?” Levi turned a corner.

“Hardly.”

He opened the back door and walked into the lab.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A brief few things about Levi

The lab smelled strongly of peppers. Levi saw Eren twitch his nose as he closed the door behind him.

“Hanji!” Levi called out, and was answered by some clanging noises before he saw them emerge from behind a cupboard. They regarded him enthusiastically,hair tied up lazily and their glasses slightly fogged. They waved over at him, gesturing for the two to join them at the counter.

“Who’s this?” Hanji asked once Levi and Eren had made their way over to Hanji, who was still in the midst of cooking, mixing ingredients and rattling the pan in heated motions.

“A new worker,” Levi claimed, placing a hand on Eren’s shoulder and trying to tolerate a ripple of irritation when he felt Eren stiffen slightly under his grip, though he didn’t move his hand.

“Is that so,” Hanji mused, turning off the stove and moving food onto plates. They passed the dishes to each of them,smiling ominously at Eren as he received his portion. “I’m surprised that Levi took on the idea of a new helper, he usually works in small numbers, if not alone.” Levi grunted and Hanji patted his head jokingly. “Oh don’t give me that.”

He picked up a fork and dug into his meal. Eren followed suit and Hanji watched both of them eagerly, a grin widening when they noticed positive lifts on the two of their faces.

“That was...really good,” Eren said, and Hanji laughed gleefully. Levi knew that they would be asking for exact and specified details in bullet point form in regards of their cooking, which they did before asking Eren to excuse Hanji and Levi for a moment.

“I just wanted to show this little guy a thing I’m concerned about-it’s back outside.” They grabbed on Levi’s arm to pull him out. He was pretty sure that Eren could see that this was clearly a blatant lie and Levi really didn’t want to explain about the day’s recent events. He followed anyways, telling Eren that he would be back.

“Five minutes,” he told him, loudly and meaningfully so that Hanji would catch his tone, despite the sad probability of it actually taking effect. “Wait here.” 

Levi went out the door with Hanji reluctantly into her garden, closing the door behind him.

“Well would you look at that,” Hanji started once they were far enough away, picking at a cluster of cherry blossoms. “Spring is here.”

“Hanji...” Levi groaned, and they laughed ever-pleasantly. On a regular basis, he actually didn’t mind their shit jokes, at least not too much, but this was a different case, and they seemed to know that.

‘So why then,” they continued, running their finger down a branch. “Eren’s a curious thing, pleasing to the eyes, but so is Petra, but you didn’t offer her your house on day one.” Levi used to have a thing with one of Hanji’s workers, Petra; she was hardworking and kind and the sort of gem that anyone would be proud to be with, but they’d broken off after they had both decided that it would best to have their relationship without intimacy.

He drew his gaze to a blooming plum tree. “His mother is my landlord.” Hanji waited for him to keep going. “He’s trying to see the world away from home.”

“Ah,” they hummed, and Levi knew that they’d reached their conclusion. “So it’s that sort of reason.”

“Don’t bring it up now,” Levi snapped,glancing back towards the door, relieved to see that Eren was nowhere in sight. No need to do anything like reveal unnecessary details.

Hanji was silent, but they didn’t push-they were his best friend for ten years, and he was pretty sure that Hanji knew exactly what crap must have gone through his head for him to allow a stranger to reside in his home for an unknown amount of time.

Just as they opened their mouth to speak, Levi turned his head away. “Not right now, I don’t want to talk about… all that.” They stopped and closed their mouth. They stood there as he mulled wearily for some time before both of them headed back to the lab in silence.

Levi moved the door, which was suspiciously cracked open, ready to tell Eren that they would be leaving,only find the place empty.

“Eren?” he tried, holding back an annoyed groan. Said person popped up from behind a counter.

“Oh! Uh, sorry, just, um,” he stammered, seemingly flustered and worried by the other’s rigid tone.

“Spit it out,” he responded a little too coldly.

“Cat,” Eren said, and, true to his word, abruptly held up a kitten for Levi to see. It yawned and blinked it’s large marble eyes.

Oh God. Oh no. No. No.

He knew exactly what was going to happen.

He hadn’t signed up for this.

Hanji made an indecipherable noise and ran up to the cat, petting it eagerly.

“This is the cutest thing,” they squealed. “It’s only too bad that I hardly have the time to look after a pet…”

Eren was looking at Levi.

“I’m not keeping it,” Levi hissed. “It’s not coming in my house, and I won’t have cat hair in my cafe.”

“I-it’s okay,” Eren pleaded. “I’ll-”

“What, take care of it?” Levi countered. “You’re relying on me for your well-being and now you want me to accept this. It’s been three hours Eren, we’re not fucking married.”

The younger man bit his lip and cast his eyes down sheepishly, cheeks glowing pink with embarrassment. Who did brat think was, being so bold.

Hanji leaned over to Eren, and they whispered loudly and dramatically. “Introducing Levi the Evil.”

Levi the Evil sent Hanji a sharp glare as she snorted, and then to Eren, who was attempting to muffle his laugh. Levi walked towards the door to the restaurant.

“Let’s go Eren, and put that thing down once we get out.” Eren stood up looking inappropriately displeased and Hanji patted his shoulder. 

When the two men had left the restaurant, Eren turned to Levi questionably, kitten still in his arms. “Is there maybe any other reason that you might not want to…” Levi looked at him and he backtracked. “Of course it was unreasonable of me,and we just met but maybe…”

“I thought I said no personal questions.”

Eren shifted his arms. “Is it… that personal?”

Levi sighed. “I guess not.” They walked down the road aimlessly, not heading to Levi’s house or anywhere in particular. Levi hardly ever just strolled for the fun of it, what was wrong with him. He was even considering breaking his own policy of sharing about himself, which was something he never did with people he just met.

Stupid stranger was throwing him off-course.

Well, maybe just this once.

They were going to be living together anyways, right?

“I just don’t like cats,” he said. Eren’s expression told him that he’d heard that reasoning before.

“But why?”

“Once when I was a kid, I was getting home when some cat appeared out of nowhere and-” he recalled the memory with humor, wait what? Since when did he recall memories with humor? “ It’s eyes just glowed. I must have jumped out of my skin that night.” He was starting to pick up on more memories, so he continued to talk.

“They literally come out of nowhere, and then their tails brush against your leg and I just mentally freak out and-” Eren was laughing, Levi realized that he himself was smiling.

The stranger with that laugh holding the kitten with weird eyes like it was his first born was pretty strange.

The air wasn't so cold now, and Levi could feel it on his skin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that you guys are liking this!


End file.
